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BAA wins Heathrow protesters ban | BAA wins Heathrow protesters ban |
(40 minutes later) | |
Airport operator BAA has won a High Court ruling banning certain climate change protesters from Heathrow. | |
The High Court granted the injunction which BAA hopes will stop disruption at the airport between 14 and 21 August. | |
Thousands are expected at the Camp for Climate Action, threatening "high impact direct action". | |
Three groups are included in the injunction which BAA says will ensure a peaceful protest, but critics argue is an infringement of civil liberties. | Three groups are included in the injunction which BAA says will ensure a peaceful protest, but critics argue is an infringement of civil liberties. |
The order should not affect the peaceful and lawful activities of people taking part in the protest - but is aimed at those planning to disrupt the operations of the airport. | |
'Damaging consequences' | |
Mrs Justice Swift ruled at the High Court that the only way to prevent potentially "serious and damaging" consequences of any unlawful direct action was to grant an injuction. | |
One group, Plane Stupid, was banned because of its history of taking "direct action" - there were fears it would try to blockade the airport. | |
The judge said there was a risk that "a terrorist group may use the disruption caused by the protesters to perpetrate a terrorist act". | |
BAA had denied that it was trying to prevent 5m people using the roads and public transport around Heathrow. It said the injunction, under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act - was aimed at protesters acting unlawfully. | |
In a statement, it said it had the right to explore "every legal avenue" to protect its staff and passengers - 1.5m of whom are expected to pass through the airport during the week of the protest. | |
"It's our responsibility to make sure we do everything we can to guarantee their safety and comfort," a BAA spokesman said. | |
He added that, considering the current threat of terrorism, keeping the airport "safe and secure" was a "very serious business", and added that any action that would distract the police was "irresponsible". |